Donegal could keep stand-alone Garda Division

The Minister for Justice, Helen McEntee, says the effectiveness of a three-county model for policing will be analysed before a firm decision is made on the future of the Donegal Garda Division.

Under proposals for a new operation model, the Donegal Division will be amalgamated with the Sligo and Leitrim Divisions.

A similar amalgamation has already been rolled out in Mayo, Roscommon and Longford. This venture is now being assessed by senior officials in a bid to determine the next steps for the force in the north west, amid growing concerns over its direction.

Minister McEntee has said that the new model ‘seeks to release front-line gardaí from roles that can be effectively carried out by civilian Garda staff’.

“The purpose of the new operating model is to increase Garda visibility, community engagement and the deployment of specialist services throughout the country,” a response on behalf of the Minister said.

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“The Government is committed to building stronger, safer communities. Everyone, no matter where in the country they live, deserves to be safe and to feel safe. This is central to the Minister’s community safety policy.

“The current Donegal and Sligo/Leitrim Divisions have not amalgamated as yet, under the Operating Model. In relation to the Operating Model roll out, I can inform you that a review of the Mayo/Roscommon/Longford Division is currently being undertaken to assess the effectiveness of the three-county model. 

“The review will also seek to identify risks, challenges and lessons learned for future divisions scheduled to amalgamate and move to a three-county model. This includes Donegal. Decisions related to the review are, of course, operational matters for the Commissioner to consider.”

The Donegal Public Participation Network (PPN), who represent 653 community groups across the county, have urged the Garda Commissioner, Drew Harris, to keep Donegal as a stand-alone Division. Each of those 653 groups are now being encouraged to put forward their own views on the matter to the relevant people.

Donegal Live understands that senior gardai in the county have also given their support to Donegal retaining its own Garda Division.

The Garda Representative Association (GRA), whose President Brendan O’Connor is based in Donegal, are also against the proposed amalgamation. O’Connor has previously expressed the wish that ‘common sense will prevail as a result of this review’.

The PPN pointed out that Donegal has a 100km border with Northern Ireland and is in close proximity to large urban centres like Derry, Strabane and Enniskillen. The presence of an international airport at Carrickfinn and five fishing ports in the county were also highlighted in correspondence to the Garda Commissioner.

The comments on behalf of Minister McEntee came in response to an email from retired Garda Sergeant Christy Galligan, who said ‘the stark reality is that this amalgamation, and the reduction in numbers of Districts, is more of a cost saving exercise than it has to do with strategic planning or policing’.

“More worrying is that specialist Units will be diverted to a more central command, like Ballyshannon, where a new Divisional Headquarters is more likely to be centred,” Mr Galligan wrote. “Superintendents and Inspectors will no longer be in charge of Districts but in charge of specific portfolios.

“This model of policing may be more suited to large populated urban areas but I don't believe that it is suited for rural areas like Donegal or other counties of similar stature. We may come to regret the decisions made by those at senior management level, but time will tell.

“Are the gardaí no longer servants of the people or are they slaves to academic models of policing that I don't believe are fit for purpose?”

At the end of May, there were 438 gardai of all ranks in the Donegal Division, supported by 66 Garda civilian staff, while a total of 121 probationer gardai have been assigned to the Donegal Division since 2015.

The spokesperson wrote: “Though the numbers appear low in recent years, this is in the context of Covid restrictions which temporarily closed the Garda College.”